Fire Emblem: Radiant Shadow
by ZariGS
Summary: Ike has just become the Crimean General, but is unsure of whether or not he will be up to the job. Enter Rhiannon, a new recruit. Can she help him with his task, and yet hold back her own budding feelings at the same time? CH8 added finally!
1. Chapter 1

Hey all, ZGS here with my first FE fic ^^ This one is going to be a tale that follows the events of FE9: PoR, with some minor differences due to the inclusion of one or more OCs. Hope you enjoy my take on PoR!

Disclaimer: I don't own FE or anything affiliated/related to it (though I wish I did). I do own the OC Rhiannon that appears in this tale, however.

Speech Guide:

_Italics_ indicates thinking/thoughts

"Quotation marks" indicate speech/speaking

* * *

How long had he sat here, head in hands at this very table, his thoughts far from reality? And how long would he continue to do so? _How long indeed…_

"You look lost." Soren stated flatly, whisking up the tent flap in his usual nonchalant manner as he sauntered briskly inside. Ike blinked as the young mage shoved a steaming plate of food under his nose.

"Well go on, eat." Soren mumbled, glancing off to the side as the blue-haired swordsman stared at him with curiosity. It wasn't like his friend to show such outwardly concern for another. _Then again, I don't think it's typical of me to skip meals either…_

"Sorry if I worried you." Ike commented while cramming down the food as fast as he could. For whatever reason it tasted like wet sand in his mouth, though he had no doubt the ingredients were of a far better type. He just wasn't hungry after "that" had happened, not a week's time ago.

"That" being the promotion to his new position as general of the Crimean army. Sure, he had led the Greil Mercenaries for a while, but leading an army was on an entirely different scale…

_I guess I just don't feel up to this task yet. But then again, not feeling up to it won't make the problem go away…_ Ike sighed, letting his fork drop with a clang against the wooden table beneath. Ever since his father—the legendary Greil—had died, Ike's life had been turned upside down, with one random occurrence happening after another. It had been more than once that they'd narrowly escaped death at the hands of some enemy; how they kept managing to survive was beyond him. There had also been quite a few times where the Greil Mercenaries had come close to losing a member. And to make matters worse, now that he was in charge of a _much larger _group of people…

Soren chose that moment to clear his throat, bringing Ike's attention back to reality.

"General, perhaps you'd like to come with me to inspect the new recruits…?" Ike blinked, then nodded, motioning for Soren to lead the way. Somehow he couldn't help but feel a little envious at how easily the young mage could adapt to pressing circumstances such as these…

Less than five minutes later the two old friends were trotting briskly through camp, heading in the approximate direction of the mess hall. Evening was nigh on top of them by the time they reached their destination, the sunset painting a myriad of reds, yellows, and oranges across the sea of white canvas tents. It would have been extremely beautiful if not for the fact that this was an army camp, prepping for the journey to go to war.

For a moment they paused outside the large mess tent, listening to the voices inside. Ike immediately recognized Boyd's voice as it rose above the rest; apparently they were playing some sort of game in there_. I can only hope it's not a _drinking_ game…_

When he followed Soren inside however, the noise level immediately dropped as everyone turned to look at him expectantly.

"…As you were…" Ike finally managed to stammer out. He waited until the chatter returned to its previous levels before motioning for Soren to continue. It still bugged him somewhat to have everyone look up to him like that _all the time._ He'd no doubt he would get used to it eventually, but as for right now…

_Never mind that,_ he thought, stepping closer to the brazier in the center of the large tent before turning to face the assortment of young men and women Soren had assembled in front of him. There were six of them in total; three of the men held axes in various forms of relaxation, and the fourth was a swordsman not unlike Ike himself. The remaining two recruits—both women—carried no visible weapons, though Ike suspected that was because it was uncomfortable to shoulder longbows in the low-roofed confinements of the mess tent. All six seemed to be roughly around his age, though one could never be completely certain; he didn't feel like asking anyways. The only time he would actually interfere and ask that sort of a question would be after a soldier's death…which was something that he'd rather not think about right now.

"Welcome to the Crimean army," he stated flatly, still trying to warm himself up at the brazier. "I'm Ike, the commanding officer around these parts. I suppose you might call me a bit of a green recruit like yourselves; I only just got this promotion recently. However, be that as it may be, I hope we can all get along and work together."

Ike watched the new recruits' reactions to that bald statement out of the corner of his eye. That was one of his favorite tactics in testing newcomers whenever they arrived—dropping a bombshell and then noting their individual reactions made finding the correct placement within the army a thousand times easier for him when it came time to decide where to put them. Interestingly enough, however, this batch was the most stoic that had been sent to him yet; most only grinned at him in various combinations of eagerness and shyness. But what caught his attention the most was the girl on the far right, whose face was mostly hidden by a tattered brown cloak.

She was frowning, and in his direction.

* * *

I wonder why...? Anyways, hope you enjoyed this first little chapter; I hope to keep the chapters for this fic shorter than some of the GS ones I've done (mostly so I can update in a more timely manner). Thanks for reading, ZGS :)


	2. Chapter 2

So here's CH2 :D It came out quicker than expected, but I was on a roll so I'm not complaining. This is still a "set-up" chapter, but it's the last of its kind (for this story at least). Anyways, hope you enjoy Ch2; and as per usual, the Speech Guide:

_Italics_ indicates thinking/thoughts

"Quotation marks" indicate speech/speaking

Disclaimer: I don't own FE or anything affiliated/related to it (though I wish I did). I do own the OC Rhiannon that appears in this tale, however.

* * *

_Well that was…interesting, I suppose._ Ike paused in his musings, taking the time to clean up the interior of his personal tent a bit. Ever since he'd had that first meeting with the six new recruits he'd been unable to stay focused in reality for long; far too often he had caught himself fretting over his own appearance, or some other minor matter, when there were far more pressing tasks at hand.

"General Ike?" The blue-haired swordsman looked up.

Standing in the doorway to his tent was none other than Oscar, one of Ike's oldest friends from his time in the Greil mercenaries. Ike waved for him to find a place to sit down amidst the rubble, before turning back to organizing all of his junk.

"So what do you think of the newest batch of recruits, General?" Ike paused once more, sighing slightly at how formal his friend was being.

"How many times have I told you, Oscar…when it's just the two of us I'd much rather be 'Ike' than 'General'." Oscar only shook his head, laughing softly.

"You haven't changed in the slightest, Ike. Ever since…" he paused, noting the rather cold look his friend was giving him. "…Sorry, Ike. I didn't mean to…bring that up."

It was Ike's turn to shake his head.

"You did nothing wrong, Oscar. It's just that, whenever someone brings up my father…" Oscar laid one of his big hands on his friend's shoulder.

"I know, Ike, I know. Anyways, what did you think of the recruits? The entire camp has been itching to spar with them this morning; one of them is supposed to be really talented with a blade, though no one knows who it is yet." Ike cast a glance towards the roof of his tent. That was certainly a mixed blessing; for one thing, having someone with talent meant that they would probably get by with less casualties than without once they started to go to war, but it could also mean trouble and dissent amongst the ranks if said talented person got too cocky about their own skill.

"…I guess this means you're asking me to be there so no uncontrolled fights break out?" Oscar mimed notching and releasing an arrow.

"Dead in the black, as usual." Ike's mouth quirked upwards slightly, though he said nothing, only grabbed his cloak from where it hung on the rack in the corner.

"Well then, if you'll lead…?"

Only a few minutes' walk north of the Crimean Army's camp was a large field, perfect for the purpose of mock battles, training sessions, and other things of that sort of ilk. Most days only a few people used it at a time, but today… Today the entire camp had turned up, eagerly waiting for some practice bouts to start with the new members.

By the time Oscar and Ike arrived, the place was teeming with people, all of them surrounding the aforementioned new recruits. The atmosphere was certainly a bit edgy, though from the looks of it, no mock battles had started yet. And it became obvious as to why that was so, once the two of them made their way through the milling crowd of onlookers.

The newcomers had separated into two groups of three and were bickering amongst themselves over some matter or another. Ike ground his teeth, knowing what would be coming next if this continued. Quietly drawing his blade out of its sheath, he shoved his way through the remaining people between him and the new recruits.

"What's going on here?" He half-yelled, parrying the brutally obvious axe swing from one of the men with a backhand stroke of his sword. The man whose axe he had just parried only avoided his gaze, saying nothing. Ike did his best to retain a calm outward appearance, though inside he was seething with anger. It was bad enough to have so many hot headed blokes in the army, but it was even worse to have fighting amongst the ranks. _But never mind that; I need to find out what the hell is going on. Why would these people be fighting each other like this, especially when it seems they've known each other for a while…?_

"Well? Anyone care to explain to me why two soldiers just so happened to be on the verge of exchanging blows?"

The only reply he got was silence. Ike sighed, commandeering the axe he had blocked with his sword. Once that was safely accomplished he scratched his head, grinning sheepishly.

"Let's make this the last time we have fighting within our own ranks okay? We're all friends here, with a common purpose: to defeat Daein and put an end to this bloody war. All else can wait while we accomplish our task." He let his eyes rake over the sea of faces staring at him, new and old friends alike. "Now, let's get to work. We still have tons of preparations left to make. I'll call a meeting later, but for now—aside from the bickering that was happening a moment earlier—as you were."

* * *

Ike looked up from the report he was reading as the sound of fingers against canvas reached his ears. He frowned. The meeting had broken up a while ago; they'd gotten a decent amount of work sorted out and accomplished, though there was always more coming down the pike. And as far as he could recall, no one had set up any appointments with him or anything. _Alright, I give._

"…Come in." he said, quickly stifling a yawn. His jaw dropped, however, when he saw who it was.

It was one of the new recruits; specifically, the girl who had looked at him with that odd frown on the very first night he had gone to meet them…

* * *

DundunDUN! Next chapter will be from Rhiannon's (OC, "Rhia") POV :)

Also, if some things seem unclear at this point, CH3 is going to be designed to help clear those up.

Thanks for reading,

-ZGS


	3. Chapter 3

It's time for CH3 :D

Once again, it came out quicker than I expected, but hey, better sooner than later, right? Hope you enjoy this take from the OC's POV!

And, as per usual, the Speech Guide:

_Italics_ indicates thinking/thoughts

"Quotation marks" indicate speech/speaking

Disclaimer: I don't own FE or anything affiliated/related to it (though I wish I did). I do own the OC Rhiannon that appears in this tale, however.

* * *

Rhiannon glanced down at the small piece of paper clutched between her gloved hands. Was this the right place…? It seemed to be, but…what if it wasn't? She shook her head vehemently. _Never mind that. If it's not…well, I _am_ new around here, so…_

Taking a deep breath, she raised a hand and scratched on the closed tent flap before her. It took a little bit, but eventually she made out a muffled 'Come in'. Swallowing her brewing fear, she undid the knot clasping the fabric closed, then hurriedly stepped inside.

"Sorry to intrude…" Rhia heard herself say, though it came out as more of a squeak than anything else. She blinked rapidly a few times, trying to make her eyes adjust to the dim interior of the tent. When they finally did, however, she nearly fell over in surprise at how disheveled the General looked. He raised an eyebrow sheepishly at her startled expression.

"Sorry 'bout my appearance, miss…?"

"It's Rhiannon, though I'd much prefer if you'd call me Rhia."

"Rhia it is, then. Anyways—" he stood up, stretching. "—I _am_ sorry about my appearance at the moment; I was just dozing. It's been a long day."

"…Oh…" she finally managed to stammer out, her voice no louder than a whisper.

"But enough of my self indulgence; was there something you needed?" Ike gazed at her expectantly. Much to Rhia's surprise, however, all words seemed to have failed her. This was _not_ anything like she had anticipated this meeting being; for one thing, the general was far more down-to-earth than she had expected. And for another… Well, wasn't he a bit…_young_ to be a general? Unless this Ike person had tons of field experience, she would have expected him to be a lot older…

"I take it you're surprised at my age." Rhia nodded, not really surprised that it was a statement rather than a question. She watched him grin, then shrug. Before she could say anything, however, his face brightened.

"Tell you what; why don't we head down to my sister's tent. It's a bit late to expect anything good to be left at the mess tent, and she's a good cook, so…what do you say? I'd be happy to fill you in on stuff you want to know about, but—" it was her turn to grin as his stomach grumbled rather loudly, "—I think I need food."

* * *

"Really, brother, I would have thought you'd know better than to skip meals."

"Yeah, yeah, it won't happen again. Anyways Mist, would you mind passing some of your 'special sauce'? That stuff's really good on the curry." Rhia watched the two siblings bicker playfully, occasionally stuffing a forkful of food into her mouth. Seeing the two of them like this made him seem less like a general and more like an older brother, though in reality she knew Ike was both.

"So Rhia," the blue haired man managed to stammer out between mouthfuls, "would you mind if I take a turn asking a question?"

"Go ahead; God knows I've asked too many already." She giggled at the look of indignation Ike gave her for the comment.

"That's not true! I know you were only being curious. Right, Mist?" Rhia watched Mist roll her eyes, feigning indifference. Truth to be told, the two girls had hit it off rather well; both shared the same sense of dry humor, among other things.

"Anyways, if you don't mind me asking, why was there such a commotion between the new recruits?"

"That's—well, it's actually…" Rhia hesitated. Should she tell the general about that…?

"It's fine if you don't want to talk about it, of course; I only wanted to know so I can help prevent things like that from breaking out in the future." She watched him glance sheepishly off towards one of the tent walls, his eyes lost in thought. "I'm still rather new to this whole 'General' thing; I need to gain as much experience as possible, before we go to war. Otherwise…"

He didn't need to finish the sentence for Rhia to understand. "Otherwise" could only mean the fact that people would die under his command if he didn't shape up and get everyone in line in time. _I might as well let the cat out of the bag now, I guess. If I don't, it'll probably come up anyways, most likely in a way that I won't want…_

"…General Ike?"

"Yes?"

"Er…you know of the…rumors…floating around camp…?" She trailed off. Was this really a good idea?

"What about it?"

Rhia closed her eyes, taking a deep breath before continuing.

"…They were referring to me."

* * *

O.o Anyways, next chapter will be from Rhiannon's POV again :)

I know I said ch3 would clear some of the confusion up, and I'm sure it did a little bit, but it's sooooo much fun to keep things hanging like this (/STABBED)

Thanks for reading,

-ZGS


	4. Chapter 4

Ch4 is here, yay~

Took a little bit longer than the others, but still a fast release, just like I'd hoped^^

And, as per usual, the Speech Guide:

_Italics_ indicates thinking/thoughts

"Quotation marks" indicate speech/speaking

Disclaimer: I don't own FE or anything affiliated/related to it (though I wish I did). I do own the OC Rhiannon that appears in this tale, however.

* * *

"So…wait. Let me get this absolutely straight. You can wield a blade? You're not just an archer?"

"That's right, though I really wish I couldn't."

"…And why are you telling me this?"

Rhia couldn't help but flinch slightly at how annoyed the general sounded. Truth to be told, she had been expecting this sort of reaction, though that didn't lessen the pain she felt upon seeing him recoil like that. _It's not as if I'm some sort of monster…at least, I hope that's the case._

When Ike didn't add anything to his previous question, she stood up, not in the slightest bit comfortable with the direction the conversation was heading. She'd hoped that he would be different from all of the others, but…_apparently not._

"Thanks for the meal." She whispered, before hurriedly ducking out into the crisp night air. Dusk had come and gone, leaving only the stars and moon as sources of light. But that was enough. It had to be.

* * *

The next morning came and went uneventfully, for there weren't many tasks that were a good fit for a new recruit. As one of the few women enlisted, the available jobs for Rhia were even fewer, though she didn't mind. In a way, this came as more of a blessing than a curse; by nature she was more of a thinker than a fighter, though when it came time to do the latter she was perfectly capable of holding her own. Needless to say, she now found herself with plenty of time to mull over what to do next.

The problem was that almost everything of consequence was out of her control; General Ike now knew that she was the one whom the rumors spoke of. She couldn't do a thing if he chose to tell the troops her secret, which frustrated her more than anything else. _Though, despite us parting on a bad note, he doesn't seem like the kind of person to blurt out others' secrets…_

"Are you Rhiannon? Boss said you were, but I wanted to make certain."

Rhia blinked, her train of thought broken by the feminine voice. Standing directly in front of where she was resting was a girl—a young woman really—of about her age.

"…Yes, that's me…though I'd really prefer 'Rhia' over my full name." The other woman grinned at her, flipping a few cerulean strands out of her eyes.

"The name's Mia." Rhia accepted her outstretched hand, though she was surprised when, instead of a handshake or something similar, Mia helped her to her feet.

"Boss wanted to talk to you, so he sent me to fetch you."

"Um…if you don't mind me asking…who is this 'Boss' you keep referring to?" Mia raised an eyebrow in Rhia's direction, a sly grin on her face. Before she could reply, however, the two of them almost ran headlong into Ike as exited one of the tents used solely for strategy meetings.

"Oh, Boss! I brought the girl, just like you asked. Now if you need nothing else, Gatrie said he'd spar with me, so…"

Rhia watched her newfound friend dash off without waiting for a reply, her mouth forming a small 'o' when she made the connection between 'Boss' and 'General Ike'. Ike meanwhile only shook his head, his shoulders shaking with a small bout of silent laughter. It didn't take long, however, before he returned to his usual seriousness, though he carried a rather sheepish look on his face when he next spoke.

"…I wanted to apologize for last night. I got rather…annoyed…when I shouldn't have. Will you forgive me, Rhia?"

She nodded, not trusting herself to speak. There were a million and one questions she wanted to ask, as well as requesting that he keep her secret a secret, but…this was an improvement, and she didn't dare risk shattering what little recovery they had made. Ike raised an eyebrow when she continued to remain silent, though he didn't push the matter further. After a moment, however, he spoke up.

"Would you…care to walk with me? I've got a few errands I need to run, but I thought it might be a good idea to show you around camp. That is, if Mia hasn't already done the job…?"

"N—No, she hasn't, but…"

"But?"

Rhia made a face. What would the rest of the camp say if they saw the two of them walking together? The last thing she wanted was to stand out and be a target for the masses to pick on. _There's no harm in agreeing, I guess..._

"Alright, then it's settled. If you'll give me just a moment—" She waited as he ducked quickly inside one of the nearby tents, returning only moments later with a couple of bundles held under each arm.

"Busy as ever…like always. I'm not looking forward to going to war, but this endless amount of work is…"

"…Brutal, right?" Rhia finished for him, boldly deciding to take on the burden of one of the packages he was carrying. Ike didn't say anything at the motion, though she could tell he was grateful for the help.

* * *

There. A more fitting "completion" ending. I've got a few ideas on where I want this story to head from here, but they're still in an incoherant state at the moment, so it might take a little bit before Ch5 comes around. That being said, however, I'm happy with the way this chapter turned out^^

Thanks for reading,

-ZGS


	5. Chapter 5

And Ch5 comes out quicker than expected :D

This is more of an 'interlude' chapter than anything else; it sets up chapter 6 (which will be larger than the rest, if everything goes as planned)

Anyways, let's get on with the show, so here's the Speech Guide:

_Italics_ indicates thinking/thoughts

"Quotation marks" indicate speech/speaking

Disclaimer: I don't own FE or anything affiliated/related to it (though I wish I did). I do own the OC Rhiannon that appears in this tale, however.

* * *

It had been three days since she'd helped General Ike ferry around the packages, and so far nothing out of the ordinary had come of it. No one seemed to care about the whole deal at all. No one but herself, that is.

Despite being busy from dawn till dusk, Rhia's mind couldn't help but return to the nagging subject, no matter how much she tried to busy herself with menial tasks. It was coming to the point where she was on the verge of ripping out armfuls of her own hair—something that she'd never even consider normally.

_I think I need help._ She finally decided, letting out a melodramatic sigh. The whole camp was in an uproar; it had been decided just yesterday that they would be on the march to war in less than a weeks' time. Needless to say, that made her chances of finding someone to help her out of her current plight less than that of finding a needle in a haystack. At least, that was how it seemed…

"Coin for your thoughts?" Rhia looked up, mouth agape, only to find herself staring face to face with none other than General Ike. _Great, just who I _didn't_ want to see right now…_

It wasn't that she didn't enjoy his company; in fact it was quite the opposite. It was just that she had yet to come to grips with her own emotions. What they were, and, more importantly, how deep they ran.

Ike meanwhile was still standing there, a slight frown forming on his face as he watched her once again drift off into her own little world. From what little he could tell, this was hardly a 'normal' occurrence for Rhia; while he knew she was more of the shy type, that didn't mean she was the kind to get lost in her own thoughts. Though, now that he was seeing it happen for himself, he had to question the earlier classification that he'd made.

"Rhia…? Are you alright?"

"Hm? Oh…yeah, I'll be…fine." She couldn't help but shy away a little bit as he squatted down beside her. Why now of all times did he have to get so _close_ to her? Though somewhere in the depths of her consciousness a part of her was whispering that it wasn't such a bad thing…

"You sure?" Ike watched her nod, though he couldn't help but notice that Rhia's eyes had glazed over once again. "Alright, if you say so…"

He stood up, scratching at his azure hair absentmindedly, before trudging off in a random direction. Now that he thought about it, why had he come looking for her in the first place? He had a job to do, that no one else could do but him. And there were countless other tasks that needed to be taken care of as well….

So…why? Why had he bothered to make room in his already overcrowded schedule to go look for this new recruit? Perhaps it was just his imagination, but…Rhia seemed easier to talk to than most people. Somehow Ike had a feeling that wasn't the entire picture, but as for what was…he had no clue. Yet.

Rhia on the other hand had a very clear idea of what was going on. But for whatever reason, whatever interior quandary, she had yet to accept it and embrace it as the truth…

* * *

To be honest, this chapter kind of took on a life of itself; I didn't envision it taking this direction when I first put fingers to keyboard, though I'm not unhappy with how it turned out. Now that I look back on how it came to life, I suppose that's not a bad thing; it adds to the depth of the characters, even if the actual story didn't progress much at all in this chapter. While it turned out a little sappy, Ch6 will be the remedy to that (hopefully next chapter will contain a battle scene yay). I don't know how long Ike will continue to remain clueless to this whole process, but perhaps that's something we'll all have to 'wait and see' to find out.

I won't make any promises on another quick release like this one was, but who knows, ch6 may come out quicker than even _I_ expect (and god knows it's happened before with this story)

Anyways,

Thanks for reading,

-ZGS


	6. Chapter 6

Yup, ch6 is here^^

Complete faster than I initially expected, but hey, everyone loves a story that's updated fast :D

Anyways, let's get on with the show, so here's the Speech Guide:

_Italics_ indicates thinking/thoughts

"Quotation marks" indicate speech/speaking

Disclaimer: I don't own FE or anything affiliated/related to it (though I wish I did). I do own the OC Rhiannon that appears in this tale, however.

* * *

Dodge left, dodge right, parry, get inside your opponent's guard and take them out…That was the dance that Ike now played. The deadly dance of steel and death between him and the opposing Daein soldiers.

The Crimean army had been on the move now for approximately a week's time; long enough for the soldiers to be heartily tired of the boring journey. Fortunately—or rather unfortunately, if you count the fact that it was an ambush—life was no longer boring; Crimea was now fully engaged in its first full on assault with the Daein army.

Even the new recruits were getting a chance at some of the action, though not in a way you'd normally expect. Of the six newest, Rhia and the other archer—a short blonde woman named Jasmine—had their hands full peppering the opposition with arrows, while the other four men were, as expected, locked in direct combat. What wasn't to be expected, however, was the ferocity of how they were counterattacking; all six were desperate to prove themselves in front of their peers, a fact that Daein's forces hadn't anticipated.

As it were, however, the Crimean forces had Daein outnumbered—from what Rhia could tell, whatever Daein commander was in charge of this particular assault had been counting of the factors of surprise and stealth rather than numbers, which, now that the 'surprise' was well over…_It's working against him or her. Whoever it is._

That being said, it didn't take all that long for the tide to turn in Crimea's favor…and it took even less time for the battle to turn from an actual _battle_ to a complete rout of the Daein forces.

* * *

"General Ike! Daein's forces are retreating; your orders, sir?" Ike took a quick glance back at the battlefield, before turning to the soldier who had given him the message.

"Let them go; we're all tired here. Spread the word; we rest here for tonight."

"Sir!"

He watched the soldier scuttle off, presumably to do as he'd just been told. Somehow, for whatever reason, Ike couldn't help but feel that he'd…screwed up on one matter or another. The army might have won this battle, but they'd certainly suffered losses, especially at the beginning when the ambush had been sprung. That meant he'd have to write out the letters to the families of the deceased, which, of course, was something he was _not_ looking forward to.

It was only now, after he'd tasted the first bite of war, that he finally understood what a predicament he'd gotten himself into. Sure, leading the army was similar to leading a band of mercenaries, but there was one key difference that he hadn't fully noticed until now:

Most mercenaries didn't have anyone 'back home' waiting for them to return to. Most didn't have a family other than the mercenary company they belonged to. Unfortunately, that was hardly the case with the common army soldier…

"…General Ike?"

Ike blinked, instantly recognizing Rhia's voice. Ever so slowly he turned around, his thoughts still preoccupied with the deceased.

"…Yes? Is something…wrong?"

"No…it's nothing like that. It's just…" She paused, searching for the right words.

"Just?"

"…Just that the whole army is wondering what happened to their brave leader. It'd be bad for morale if the camp is having a celebration and the _most important _person is missing." Ike smirked at the way she emphasized the words 'most important'; while he certainly didn't see himself in that light, it was understandable that others would.

"…Alright, I'll come. Though I can't say I'm really in the mood for festivities at the moment."

"Really…?" Rhia looked up at him, for once not really caring how unabashed her concern was. "Why's that?"

"Well…" He paused, gazing up at the darkening sky for a moment. Dusk was fast approaching; the battle had continued for most of the day, though he hadn't paid attention to that fact at the time.

"I suppose you can say I've got a rather…complicated…matter on my hands."

"Anything I can help with?"

This time it was Ike's turn to be taken aback. For a while he just stared at her, mouth agape. Rhia raised an eyebrow when he continued to remain silent, a small smile starting to form on her face.

"Er…well…perhaps. I'll have to think on it a bit, however." He added the last sentence rather hastily, still slightly tongue-tied from surprise.

"Fine by me. And we're here."

And indeed they were; while Ike had been busy lost in thought, the entirety of the army had put together a rather large feast. Somehow, crude tables had appeared, and were now lined with food, enough so that Ike's stomach grumbled rather loudly in protest at the lack of attention it had gotten.

It took a moment before Ike realized that he was once again alone, although that probably wouldn't be the best way to put it. There were tons of people wandering about, sampling the food buffet-style. But Rhia was no longer by his side. In fact, now that he got a good look at the people around him, he didn't recognize _any_ of their faces, though he didn't have a doubt they knew _him._

Needless to say, it was a slightly unsettling feeling. But before he could back away and retreat back the way he and Rhia had come, a hand placed itself on his shoulder.

To say he was startled would be an understatement, but that much was probably already obvious. Thankfully, however, the hand belonged to a familiar face; Rhia, bearing two plates of steaming hot food. She didn't say anything about his startled reaction, though somehow Ike knew she was on the verge of laughing.

"Sorry for startling you; I just thought you'd like something to eat."

"Er…thanks. And I'm sorry for jumping like that. It's been a long day."

"I can tell." Rhia replied blandly, stuffing a few morsels into her mouth after handing him the plate she'd obviously put together with him in mind. It wasn't a _true_ feast in the sense of having multitudes of roasted meat on hand, but it was certainly more than what one would normally consider as a meal while on the road. Ike thought he could detect Mist's hand in the flavoring of the food, though he couldn't be completely certain. Even if she hadn't taken part, it was still good stuff for someone as hungry as he was.

"Forgive my manners…" He stammered after practically inhaling half of the plates' worth. Rhia only laughed.

"No worries; I've done worse myself, so I understand completely." At this Ike couldn't help but grow curious. How could anyone, much less a _girl_ have worse manners than he'd already shown? But she cut him off before he could ask.

"Anyways, sorry for the change of subject, but, now that you've gotten some food in you, would you care to tell me what I can help with? You were rather…vague...earlier."

Ike felt his face furrow into a frown, though he didn't have anything to retort with.

"Tell you what; let's go see if we can find Soren. If both you and him are helping, it'll go much faster. Besides, he's got a knack for this kind of thing anyways…"

Rhia sighed, though she didn't object when he motioned for her to follow.

* * *

I wonder why Rhia sighed...? Anyways, I'm glad that this came out as quick as it did; for one thing that means I'm enjoying writing this^^

Once again, I won't make any guarantees on a quick release Ch7, though from the way things have been going I wouldn't be surprised if things turned out that way.

As usual thanks for reading,

-ZGS


	7. Chapter 7

Well, here's Ch7. It's more of an interlude chapter than anything else (IE plot setting up for future chapters), but that'll be different come Ch8.

Took slightly longer than anticipated, but three or so days still isn't that bad, right? ^^

Anyways, let's get on with the show, so here's the Speech Guide:

_Italics_ indicates thinking/thoughts

"Quotation marks" indicate speech/speaking

Disclaimer: I don't own FE or anything affiliated/related to it (though I wish I did). I do own the OC Rhiannon that appears in this tale, however.

* * *

Soren stared at the two of them for a while, thinking over the matter carefully. From experience he knew Ike wasn't very…articulate…when it came to matters like writing out letters to deceased soldiers' families, but…why was she here? Carefully pulling Ike out of earshot, he restated the question that had been nagging at him ever since he'd seen her come in with him.

"Ike, what's your motive for bringing a new recruit to help out on such a delicate matter? She's not even Private level."

Ike only stared at his friend blankly, not quite understanding.

"What does rank have to do with anything? Rhia said she wanted to help out, so…" Soren only put his head in hands, sitting down disgustedly on a nearby bench. That was so like Ike to go ahead and do things without bothering to think of the consequences. True, if it was kept a secret there wouldn't be a problem…but this sort of thing was a personal matter. If the families of the deceased got wind of this…there'd be no end to the chaos.

"…No. Just. Plain. No. She is _not_ helping us with this. If it were something else I'd consider it, but this is what it is; something far too personal for random people to be helping out."

Ike didn't object, though Soren knew very well that he wanted to. After a brief staring contest between the two, Ike finally relented, turning to relay the news back to the girl. While he did that, Soren rubbed at his temples, almost instantly lost in thought. This whole matter—even without the girl's help—was such a big nuisance. He didn't have to think about these sorts of matters when it had just been the Greil Mercenaries. That didn't mean he was complaining, of course, but it certainly was one more hassle that had to be taken care of after every battle. Luckily the casualties from the ambush hadn't been _too_ horrible, though there certainly were quite a few…

"Soren? Are you alright?"

"Hm? Oh…yeah, I'll be fine; I was just thinking about the most efficient way to go about writing the…letters."

"Yeah, well, I'm glad for your help…" It was Soren's turn to notice how distracted the other party was, though he didn't bother to comment on it, other than a 'Let's get started, then.'

* * *

Rhia glanced back in the direction of Soren's tent for what seemed like the millionth time, though she wasn't really bothering to keep count. The mage's reasoning for refusing her help was…sound, though that didn't make how hurt she felt go away. It would shrink and vanish in time, but for now…_For now I think I need to get away from all of these festivities._

She really wasn't in the mood to be surrounded by lots of laughter and the like; it just seemed so…wrong when she didn't feel that way herself. It was hard to explain, other than she just needed some time alone.

* * *

"There, that's the last of them." Ike sighed, standing up to stretch his tired limbs. Under Soren's direction he'd managed to write out all of the letters, though even then it was tough work. Taking a glance outside revealed that time had slipped well into the night; it was almost dawn in fact. He sighed once more, knowing full well how messed up his sleep schedule would be for the next few days because of this. As much as he didn't like doing it, it was necessary, though if there were a way out of it he'd certainly opt for that particular route. Though, now that he'd finished all that he needed to do for the moment, his thoughts couldn't help but wander back to the rather touchy topic of the new recruit who'd caught his attention more than once…

It was weird how she kept popping back into his thoughts; though for whatever reason he didn't really mind. Soren didn't seem to like her, but, well, he was _Soren_, the kid who didn't like anyone. Still, somehow Ike couldn't help but get the feeling that his dark haired friend had acted slightly…different…towards Rhia than anyone else. Perhaps it had to do with…what was the word? Retaliate? Shipment? Some sort of combination of the two?

"I think the word you're looking for is 'relationship', Ike." The blue haired swordsman spun around at the sound of Soren's voice—he'd completely forgotten that his friend was still here, though that had been mostly because Soren had been seemingly fast asleep. Still, perhaps this was as good of a time to ask as any…

"Why are you so openly opposed to her…er…well…" He couldn't say it. Now that everything had 'clicked' into place, so to speak, it was rather embarrassing to think, much less talk about.

"Because she—or her presence at least—is interfering with your job. We're going to war, correct? This is hardly the opportune time to start a relationship. Plus there's the whole matter of favoritism breeding dissent amongst the ranks…" Soren paused in his lecturing, noticing just how quiet Ike had become. "Ike? Tellius to Ike!"

"Oh…sorry." Soren ground his teeth in frustration before continuing.

"Look, I won't stop you if you try to go through with this. I wouldn't mind this whole…well, _romanticism_ on your part after this war is over. I'm just telling you what I think will work out for the best in the long run. That being said, however…I can't stop you or veto your choice; you're my superior." He watched as Ike nodded slowly, visibly flustered at the emphasis he had placed on 'romanticism'. Still, perhaps this whole awkward matter being out in the open was for the best…

"…We'd both best get some sleep; there's going to be a long march ahead of us tomorrow, and I for one don't want to fall over in the midst of it."

"Soren…?" Ike asked, pausing at the tent flap.

"Yes?"

"Thank you for, well…understanding."

"You're welcome."

* * *

Still enjoying writing this, though I've got plans for another FE fic...that may or may not come into fruition. Still, one can always be hopeful, right?

Once again, I won't make any guarantees on a quick release for the next chapter, though, judging from the way things have been going I still wouldn't be surprised if things turned out that way.

As usual thanks for reading,

-ZGS


	8. Chapter 8

Ch8 took far longer than expected :/ Sorry in advance for how short it is, but with the idea I've got going it would either be that or way long, and I'd rather get the chapter out sooner rather than later :]

Anyways, let's get on with the show, so here's the Speech Guide:

_Italics_ indicates thinking/thoughts

"Quotation marks" indicate speech/speaking

Disclaimer: I don't own FE or anything affiliated/related to it (though I wish I did). I do own the OC Rhiannon that appears in this tale, however.

* * *

Rhia paced. And paced. And paced some more.

There was a lot on her mind; the army's stats, her own health, what was going to happen on the upcoming days…and perhaps most importantly, the touchy topic of her budding feelings for the young General.

Yes, she admitted it now; she liked him, and more than a little bit. It wasn't love—at least not yet—but ever since the aftermath of yesterday's ambush she hadn't been able to get him out of her head.

As much as she hated to admit it, her feelings had grown to the point where suppressing them was out of her available options. So, instead of trying to fight the inevitable, she resigned herself to them, trusting that whatever would happen…would happen, so to speak.

Of course, that simple decision didn't make matters any easier; there was still the alarming subject of having to bring this whole matter out into the open…and she didn't feel the slightest bit confident about doing _that_.

_Then again, if I wait too long someone else may snatch him up…_Rhia bit her lip while she thought. The real problem, more so than having to confess and all, was that they were such a mismatched pair; after all, Ike was the _General of the Crimean Army_, while she was…nobody. Sure, she had managed to be friendly with the young general in her short time with the army, but…

Rhia cut off that train of thought. There wasn't any use worrying over what hadn't yet come to pass, and doing so was foolish. _Besides, I don't even know what's going through _his_ head at the moment…_

That simple realization seemed to clinch the matter for her; until she actually talked to Ike about this whole problem, all she was capable of was idle speculation, nothing more. And yet at the same time, "talking" to Ike was easier said than done…

Rhia paused in her musings. Had someone just scratched at her tent flap? She half remembered hearing _something _just a moment ago…

A voice muttered softly outside. Flustered that she'd been keeping someone waiting, Rhia moved hastily to untie the knot holding her tent flap closed. When it came loose, however, her jaw dropped at who was standing outside; after all, it wasn't who she was expecting.

It was Soren, and a very troubled expression was on his face…

* * *

*Shot for cliffie*

I don't know if I can promise a fast release of ch9, though I do have ideas for it (the lack thereof was part of the reason this one took so long). Just as a side note, Ch9 will probably be the longest chapter in this tale yet, so stay tuned!

As usual thanks for reading,

-ZGS


End file.
